Laugh it in the face!

Since about 1.5 years I have been involved in a sport I now call medical football. In this case, I am the football being tossed between different doctors, specialists, tests and procedures, all while going on a roller coaster ride of medications and side effects and spending way too much time, money and nerves. Now I am no stranger to the medical runaround, but usually I had to take care of one or maybe at the most two problems and even though they were severe, painful and scary at times, it was clear what needed to be focused on. At the moment though, I have to think about nearly a dozen health issues plaguing me and I feel quite overwhelmed. The fact that there are so many things that need to be taken care of in regards to my daughters and their need for counseling, therapy and IEPs, all while house and cars are breaking left and right and the schedule is so tight that I am happy if I have enough time to pack and unpack our bags between everything going on.

The two most important points on my compass are Health and Happiness, since most other points are directly and indirectly related or dependent. It is easy during times of sickness and pain to give up, get angry and lose hope. If anything though, I am clinging to some sort of happiness, even though it is a kind of cynical humor making it possible. A lot of medical nightmares are actually sort of entertaining and funny, because they are so outrageous or absurd. I clearly remember the aftermath of multiple fractures in my left hand and wrist and the time spent in various old hospital hallways waiting for yet another opinion that would not bring me any further. I started writing on any pieces of paper I could find, describing the situations, feelings, people and buildings. It was a great outlet.

Humor is a wonderful thing, without it life would feel bleak. During grad school I took a couple of classes about comedy, satire and the likes and the need of people to look at the most awful through the lens of humor. Incidentally, John Cleese happens to be on PBS at this very moment, talking to a guy in India who meets with people to laugh for 15 minutes a day, just plain old laughing, without really any reason and even that reduces stress. So here's to laughing - ha ha ha!